The 30-year old was in red-hot form in his debut season at Old Trafford, netting 26 Premier League goals and in the process helping his side to claim the title following a switch from Arsenal last summer.

Van Persie is now in his 10th season in English football, but his dad, an artist, says that his fate was foreseen from an early age after an encounter with a psychic.

"She said he is the only one in your family where money flows like a river," he told The Independent.

"She told me: 'He is going to be a king on the sports field and on the Dutch national team.' I always believed that.

"You must realise that when Robin was young, I always went with him and you see small stadiums and they get bigger and bigger. As the player grows, the stadiums grow.

"The only one in our family who was into football was Robin's grandfather - Robin's mother's father. He was a goalkeeper all his life. Not for a big club, but certainly in the Dutch leagues."

Despite the apparent predictions, Van Persie says that he and his son share similar character traits in that they both demonstrate the drive needed to carve out successful careers.

"We both work very hard to achieve what we want, you know. And I think that's important too. It doesn't come by itself. He has had to work hard," he said.

"When he could hardly stand, he was always with a ball; all kinds of balls. In the house I gave him balloons, so everything went in slow motion.

"A tennis ball, football, plastic ball, beach ball, anything. You know, he is very good at any ball sports - billiards, table tennis - he is always the one with the ball."

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aha, as a German supporting United I can only agree with your great insight in German football! No idea why, but I HATE Eintracht Braunschweig and please don't ever place a bet on Leverkusen, they mess up my ticket every time!

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